Digitalization and the Future of Work

Abstract

The Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice invited submissions related to the question of how the digitalization may shape the future of work. The rapid development of innovative digital technologies and the associated digital transformation have changed the way in which we live, communicate, and work. Digital platforms and the increasing pursuit of becoming more effective and flexible have affected many traditional work structures within and across organizations. Work is potentially becoming more distributed, flexible, and autonomous. At the same time, many approaches of digital work are associated with inferior working conditions, low payment, or even increasing surveillance (Durward et al. 2020, Aloisi/Gramano 2019). Phenomena such as artificial intelligence, smart devices, or robotics might further accelerate these developments and could lead to an augmentation and automation of knowledge work - work that requires extensive education and training and that is today performed by humans. Similarly, organizations and management practices may become more digital such that new jobs, roles, and skill profiles as well as innovative modes of management and leadership could emerge. These developments will not only impact individuals and organizations, but also our society in its entirety.